Putrajaya has expanded the travel ban to four other countries amid concerns that the B.1.617 Covid-19 strain that has wreaked havoc in India could spread to Malaysia.
Defence Minister Ismail Sabri said travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka will be banned from entering Malaysia.
This was in addition to a ban on travellers from India that was imposed on April 28.
Ismail said the ban is on all categories of travellers including social pass, long-term social visit pass and business travellers.
"However, an exemption is made for diplomatic passport holders as provided under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961," he said.
He said this category of travellers can apply to enter Malaysia through the existing standard operating procedures (SOP).
India is seeing the worst surge in Covid-19 cases in the world. Yesterday, it added more than 382,000 new cases, more than five-fold compared to Brazil which is seeing the second-highest increase in the world.
This was in part due to the B.1.617 variant which is more virulent. Preliminary data also suggests that the variant may cause more serious symptoms.
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are India's neighbouring countries where the B.1.617 variant have also spread to. - Mkini
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